Stamp History Stamp History History of Stamps Stamps and Collectors - a little History The birth of the postage stamp dates back to May 6, 1840, when Britain issued its first stamp, the "Penny Black." But, how did people receive mail before this time, and what led to the idea of using stamps? Before the Envelope and the Stamp Primitive message systems have been in place as long as man has been in existence. Until 1840, however, regardless of how primitive or how elaborate, all these systems operated without the benefit of a postage stamp. In the early days of the postal service, stamps and envelopes did not exist. (For the most part, envelopes were not used because they were considered to be an additional sheet of paper which cost more to send.) When you wanted to send a letter you would fold it up and seal it shut, and the person who received the letter had to pay for the delivery costs. Since rates at that time were very high, many people refused to accept letters. In fact, many people developed secret codes by which they could cheat the postal services.

They would place secret marks on the outside of the letter that conveyed their message and all the addressee had to do was read the secret message, refuse to accept the letter, and thus not have to pay for it. Mainly for this reason, postal services turned to a means of prepaying postage. Post Office Reforms and the Stamp! In 1837 Sir Rowland Hill, the British Postmaster General, introduced the "Post Office Reforms" whereby the mail could go anywhere in the British Isles at the same rate (a penny a half-ounce); the postage was to be paid by the sender -- not the addressee; and payment was receipted by placing a small piece of colored paper on the outside of the letter -- THE STAMP! Of course Hill's proposal was heavily debated for a few years, but after serious discussion the change was enacted and instituted in 1840. Thus on May 6, 1840 (first date of valid use) the first government-printed postage stamps were born. Sir Rowland Hill himself designed the first stamp which cost one penny and bore the profile of Queen Victoria.

Because the stamp was printed in black, the 1-cent stamp soon became known as the "Penny Black" -- the world's most popular stamp. These first stamps were imperforate, meaning that people had to cut apart the sheets of stamps. The first perforated stamps did not appear until 1854 (1857 in the United States, 1854 in Great Britain). The popularity of this new system of sending mail and collecting the fee in advance spread fast and it didn't take long for other countries to use similar systems. In 1847, the United States Post Office Department printed its first stamps, a 5-cent stamp picturing Benjamin Franklin and a 10-cent stamp picturing George Washington. Stamp Collectors With the birth of stamps came the birth of stamp collectors or philatelists as they have become known. Shortly after adhesive postage stamps were introduced by Great Britain in 1840, people began collecting them. In 1841, a women even placed an advertisement in the London Times in which she requested help in collecting stamps so that she could paper a bedroom wall.

The two terms philately and philatelist, which refer to the collection and study of postage stamps, were derived from the Greek word phileo, meaning "I love" and ateleia, meaning "free of charges", in the sense that postage stamps replaced a cash postal charge. As people began to collect these interesting pieces of paper, no one realized how valuable stamps could become. The advent of special commemorative stamps greatly increased the popularity of the hobby. The first U.S. stamps issued to specifically commemorate (remember and honor) our history were issued in 1893 to celebrate Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World. A few of those 1893 Columbian stamps are now worth thousands of dollars! Stamps have undergone many changes since that first stamp in 1840. They have been perforated, coiled, and printed in many different colors. Stamps have been introduced in many types, formats, and designs.

100 Match Factory Place • Bellefonte, PA 16823, USA • 814-933-3803 • Fax: 814-933-6128 The first postage stamp | History of postal stamps | Penny Black stamp The first postage stamp The first postage stamp The history of first adhesive postage stamp Knowing the postal services history is the best weapon in collecting stamps. Stamps are elements used since writing evolved. Postage stamp is important to be able to transport mails from one place to other. What are postal stamps? Postal stamps are small gummed label issued by postal authorities. It is affixed to an envelope, postcard, or package as evidence that postal charges have been paid. It is the most popular way of paying retail mails and postal stationery. This small rectangular adhesive paper signifies that the person sending has fully paid or partly for delivery. History of Adhesive postage stamp On August 22 1839, the British Treasury planned to implement an affordable postal service as proposed by reformer Rowland Hill (1795- 1874).

In order to have various stamp designs to choose from, they announced a competition for designs and suggestions as to how Penny postage might look like. The champion received £200 while the runner up received £100. There were 2,700 entries that joined the competition. But none of the winning entries was actually used. The Penny Black stamp design, depicting the bust of Queen Victoria, was submitted by Sir George Mackenzie of Coul, Ross-shire and finally approved in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace. The first stamp was put on sale on May 1, 1840 and was valid from May 6, 1840. Two days later the Two Pence Blue came. Both show a portrait of young Queen Victoria. At that time, The United Kingdom's name was not inscribed on the stamp. United Kingdom remained the only country not to inscribe its name on the stamp because the monarch’s head was used as identification. On January 1854, stamps were officially perforated by Mr. Archer and issued at the House of Commons. Mr. Archer was paid £4,000 for the patent.

On the other hand, Canton of Zurich in Switzerland made their stamps on March 1, 1843. They issued Zurich 4 and 6 rappen. Brazil issued the Bull's Eye stamps on August 1, 1843. They used the same printer as of Penny Black but choose an abstract design instead for the portrait of Emperor Pedro ll so that his figure would not be disfigured as for the postmark. Some postmasters in the United States of America issued their own stamps in 1845. But the first United States official postage stamp came in 1847, with 5 and 10 cent stamps depicting Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. Other countries issued postage stamps in the late 1840's. India as one of the follower issued stamps in 1845 and by 1860's most countries had stamps. After the introduction of stamps in UK, the number of letters increased from 82 million in 1839 to 170 million in 1841. Today (2009), over 21 billion items are delivered by post every year in the United Kingdom.

Postage stamp ancestors All elements that made up the first stamps were already in existence. Revenue stamp is represented on a blue paper which had been around 1694. Revenue stamp also known as tax stamp or fiscal stamp is a stamp used to collect taxes or fees on documents registrations, licenses, etc. Revenue stamps were attached to parchment documents by means of lead staples. It is secured at the back by small rectangular piece of paper - the future size of Penny Black. It bears crowned royal cipher, plate numbers, and corner letters. One way to raise their revenue is to subject a tax to newspapers. The tax is used to buy weapons for defense during the war. It was the extension of this levy to the American colonies in 1765 via the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act helped trigger the opposition which culminated to War of Independence few years later. In 1802 and onwards, many taxes were denoted by adhesive labels. Furthermore, the tax stamps applied to patent medicines were not unlike some of the essays submitted in the Treasury competition. The adhesive labels denoting pre-payment of freight charges are used by shipping freight companies. From about 1811, the concept of using adhesive labels to denote pre payment was a natural development.

Postal revolution The Penny Black, one of the rarest British stamp, and the Two pence Blue were first introduced in May 1840. The stamps were drawn by Henry Corbould from the effigy of Queen Victoria. The effigy was depicted from the Guildhall Medal of 1838. It was sculpted by William Wyon and engraved by Charles and Frederick Heath. The engine used to engrave the background was patented by the American engineer Jacob Perkins. He devised a method of engraving steel plates to print banknotes that were proof against forgery. The new-fangled stamps were not popular in the beginning. They were only sold exclusively at post offices operated by the Board of Stamps and Taxes. Moreover, only postmasters are licensed to sell the stamps. In 1852, people had an option to prepay postage stamps in cash. These letters bore red postmark to indicate that it is a prepaid letter. Aside from that, letters could also be sent without payment but the transport of mails is charged double, 2d per half ounce. First Stamps of different countries Brazilian first postage stamp Following Britain's lead is Brazil. The Brazilian first postage stamp is Bull's Eyes in 1843.

A year earlier, New York City Dispatch Post was using 1c stamps portraying George Washington. An Englishman Henry Thomas Windsor, owner of the private local service, imported the idea of using George Washington postage stamp. Swiss first postage stamp In 1843-5, the Swiss cantons of Basle, Geneva, and Zurich first adopted letter stamps to communicate. United States first postage stamp The United States Post Office (USPO) authorized postmasters to issue their own stamp in 1845. Two years later, the first federal issue consisted of 5c and 10c stamps portraying Benjamin Franklin, first postmaster of the USA, and George Washington respectively. Early American definitive series stamps included the bust of Washington, though Franklin was dropped after 1965. Furthermore, they produced commemorative stamps to commemorate a person, place, scenery, or occasions. Commemorative stamps are only available in a limited period of time. British colonial first postage stamp Mauritius in 1847 was the first British colony to adopt adhesive stamps. The same year, Trinidad had a local stamp for mails carried by Lady McLeod. Lady McLeod is a steamship run by a private company.

This steamship was featured on a stamp during Mauritius ear. As early as 1843, the Broadway of Penny Post of New York had a stamp showing the same steam locomotive. Bermuda adopted adhesive stamps in 1848. The postmasters of Hamilton and St. George’s produced hand-stamps on gummed paper. European first postage stamps In 1849 Bavaria, Belgium, and France produced their first postage stamp. Decade after it extended to Austria, Austrian Italy, British Guiana, Hanover, New South Wales, Prussia, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Spain, Switzerland, and Australian state of Victoria. Australian first postage stamp New South Wales had predicted Britain's adoption of prepaid postage by producing embossed letters as early as 1838. But adhesive stamps were lagged behind by 12 years. Other first foreign stamps When postage was released, the use of adhesive stamp spread rapidly. Baden, Canada, Denmark, Hawaii, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Sardinia, Trinidad, Tuscany, and Wurttemberg joined the stamp-issuing entities in 1851.

Another 11 countries adopted the same system in 1852. Indian district, now called Pakistan was the first Asian country that adopted this system. The triangular Cape of Good Hope was then used in South Africa. Stamps have spread to every colonized continent. The spreading of stamp opted many people to collect stamps from different countries. Nowadays, stamps that were made in 1840’s are considered old postage stamps. Old stamps are sought after from stamp collectors especially the rare stamps. Millions of people send letters a day to be able to communicate. Related articles: The History of Postage Stamps By Mary Bellis Updated September 05, 2016. Before adhesive paper stamps came along, letters were hand-stamped or postmarked with ink. Postmarks were invented by Henry Bishop and were at first called 'Bishop mark.' Bishop marks were first used in 1661 at the London General Post Office. They marked the day and month the letter was mailed. The First Modern Postage Stamp - Penny Black The first issued postage stamp began with Great Britain's Penny Post . On May 6, 1840, the British Penny Black stamp was released.

The Penny Black engraved the profile of Queen Victoria's head, who remained on all British stamps for the next 60 years. Rowland Hill Invents Adhesive Postage Stamps A schoolmaster from England, Sir Rowland Hill invented the adhesive postage stamp in 1837, an act for which he was knighted. Through his efforts the first stamp in the world was issued in England in 1840. Roland Hill also created the first uniform postage rates that were based on weight rather than size. Hill's stamps made the prepayment of mail postage possible and practical. continue reading below our video How to Negotiate Your Bills Lower Hill had received a summons to provide evidence before the Commission for Post Office Enquiry in February 1837. In providing his evidence, he read from the letter he wrote to the Chancellor, including a statement the notation of paid postage could be created "...by using a bit of paper just large enough to bear the stamp, and covered at the back with a glutinous wash...". This is the first publication of an unambiguous description of a modern adhesive postage stamp (but remember, the term "postage stamp" did not yet exist at that time).

Hill’s ideas for postage stamps and charging paid-postage based upon weight soon came to fruition, and were adopted in many countries throughout the world. With the new policy of charging by weight, more people began using envelopes to mail documents. Hill’s brother Edwin Hill invented a prototype envelope-making machine that folded paper into envelopes quickly enough to match the pace of the growing demand for postage stamps. Rowland Hill and the postal reforms he introduced to the UK postal system are commemorated on several commemorative postage issues of the United Kingdom. William Dockwra In 1680, William Dockwra, an English merchant in London, and his partner Robert Murray established the London Penny Post, a mail system that delivered letters and small parcels inside the city of London for a total of one penny. The postage for the mailed item was prepaid by the use of a hand- stamp to frank the mailed item, confirming payment of postage. Shapes and Materials In addition to the most common rectangular shape, stamps have been printed in geometric (circular, triangular and pentagonal) and irregular shapes. The United States issued its first circular stamp in 2000 as a hologram of the earth. Sierra Leone and Tonga have issued stamps in the shapes of fruit.

Stamps are most commonly made from paper designed specifically for them, and are printed in sheets, rolls or small booklets. Less commonly, postage stamps are made of materials other than paper, such as embossed foil. Kid Stamps Did you know 2? What thematic collecting is? пїЅпїЅ пїЅпїЅ What was the World's first stamp? пїЅ Ever wondered where it all began? Here a collector reveals the fascinating history behind the first stamp When I began to collect stamps the country I wanted to begin with was Great Britain, since it was the world's first country to issue adhesive stamps. As with me, there are collectors all over the world who want at least one copy of the Penny Black simply because it is the world's first stamp. The Penny Black and Penny Post were the brain child of Sir Rowland Hill often called the father of the modern post office. The introduction of Penny posts revolutionized the letter service making it possible to send a letter anywhere in Britain for a pre-paid postage. In 1837 Sir Rowland Hill, a school master, published a pamphlet entitled "Post Office Reform: Its Importance and Practicability".

In this he claimed that the true cost of delivering a letter from London to Edinburgh was only about 1/36 of a Penny. If the post office charged one penny postage on every letter, more people would write letters and the post office would make more profit. Helped by wide spread public support Hill eventually persuaded the post office to adopt his plan. Until Rowland Hill introduced his reform the postage on a letter was usually paid by the person who received it, not by the person who posted it .The postman had the task of collecting the postage when he delivered the mail. Hill proposed that letters be prepaid either in cash at the post office or by prepaid letter sheets and envelopes and almost as an afterthought "a bit of paper just large enough to bear the stamps showing that tax had been paid and covered at the back with a glutinous wash which the bringer of the letter might by applying a little moisture attach to the back". There was initially much reluctance for such a proposal as postage rates were rather high. During the early part of the 19th century postal charges rose rapidly and by the year 1814 a letter cost four pence for a distance of seven miles.

Over seven miles and under fifteen miles the charges were six pence. At that time a labourer's wage was four pence a day. Further, members of parliament were entitled to free postage, which was much misused. However as the public support for Rowland Hill's suggestions grew, he was appointed to the Treasury on 16th September 1839 to begin work on postal changes. First reform was the introduction of uniform Penny Postage on 5th December 1839, which was reduced to one Penny on 9th January 1840. The Treasury invited the public to submit suggestions for the design of the gummed labels which Hill proposed that the Post Office should issue at one Penny each. More than 2600 suggestions were submitted but only 49 related to adhesive stamps. One suggestion from Benjamin Cheverton of Casinden Town answered the fears ofпїЅ Treasury officials that unscrupulous printer might may be able to forge the labels and so defraud the Post Office. Cheverton suggested that the labels should bear "a female head of great beauty" because a portrait would be more difficult for forgers to copy than any other design.

Awards for innovative suggestions were made to Benjamin Cheverton, Henry Cole, Charles Whiting, James Bogardus and Francis Coffin. пїЅ It was Rowland Hill's own suggestion which was developed into the finished design. It was the profile of Queen Victoria, based on a portrait made when she was an eighteen old princess. It was also used on a medal designed by William Wyon, which was struck for the occasion of Queen's first official entrance into the city of London in 1837. Perkins Bacon & Petch Co, London who had been given the contract to print the adhesive stamp, commissioned the artist Henry Corbould to make a number of profile drawing of the young Queen based on the Wyon medal. Charles and Frederick Health, father and son, engraved the Queen's portrait for the production of the plate which contained 240 impressions. 1839 - The original sketch of the Penny Black made byпїЅ Rowland Hill ( Alberto Bolaffi, Indepex 97 ) The Penny Black, the first ever adhesive postage stamp was issued on 1st May 1840 though it became valid for postage on 6th may 1840.

Usages before this date is known (see image below). It was issued in sheets of 240 (rows of 12) because at that time there were 240 pennmies in a pound not 100 like now. It had a water mark of a small crown, and was black in colour. These stamps were not perforated and had to be cut and sold. The ink used for the printing consisted of lamp black in linseed oil. The gum was applied hot with brushes. Whose colour varied and in some sheets were almost colourless. Total plates used were eleven (Nos 1 to 11). About 72 Million stamps were issued and remained valid for usage till 1841. пїЅ Penny Black Stamps HISTORY OF PENNY BLACK STAMPS Pre 1840 In the year 1840, the United Kingdom introduced the Penny Black, the world’s first adhesive postage stamp. It was followed one day later by the 2d blue and at the beginning of 1841 the 1d red appeared. But before 1840, the post service was prohibitively expensive for most people to use.

In fact the cost of sending a single letter could cost of much as a working man’s daily wage. Postage was charged by the sheet and the distance travelled. (This led to the habit of writing a letter, then turning the page upside down and writing the second page of the letter between the lines of the original – thus saving sheets as four pages of letter could be written on one piece of paper.) But cost was not the only issue. There were many oddities. Certain items of post went free of charge, newspapers could be sent very cheaply and most mail was paid for by the person receiving the mail, not the sender. Postal reform ideas – James Chalmers It’s not surprising then that for many years prior to 1940, there were calls for reform of the postal system. As early as 1822, James Chalmers, a bookseller and printer from Dundee, was interested in postal reform. Some say that he was the actual inventor of the adhesive postage stamp. He also advocated the introduction of standard prepaid letter folders, letter sheets or envelopes which were eventually introduced in 1840 using a design by William Mulready.

He printed samples of his idea for printed gummed labels in August 1834. James Chalmers Inventor of the Adhesive Postage Stamp edited by W.J. Smith, and published in Dundee in 1970 gives an account of James Chalmers’ activities in the area of postal reform. Later reformers - Rowland Hill and Robert Wallace Rowland Hill and Robert Wallace (Member of Parliament for Greenock) were notable campaigners. In 1837, Rowland Hill proposed the radical reform of wapping a letter in an additional piece of paper (now known as the envelope) and attaching a ‘label’ (now known as a stamp) to indicate prepayment of the postage charge. Social reformer Rowland Hill 1839 Penny Postage Bill Eventually, on 17 August 1839, Penny Postage Bill was passed by Parliament. The act required that the basic postal rate for simple letters should be set at one penny. It also required that prepayment should become the standard for sending letters and that prepayment should be indicated by ‘labels’. There labels were the Penny Black and the Twopence Blue.

Like today, the stamps were cancelled by a cancellation stamp, although this mark was red rather than the black used today. Competition for design of new stamps In 1839, the British Treasury announced a competition to design the new stamps, but none of the submissions was considered suitable. Instead, Rowland Hill launched the service in 1840 with an envelope bearing a reproduction of a design created by the artist William Mulready and a predominetly black stamp bearing a reproduction of the profile of the reigning British monarch, Queen Victoria facing to the left. Hill believed this would be difficult to forge. The head of the reigning monanarch has featured on postage stamps eversince. Because Penny Blacks and Twopenny Blues were the world's first postage stamps, they did not show a country of origin. Brisitsh stamps today are still the only stamps in the world that do not name their country of origin. Example of a Mulready lettersheet Design of Penny Blacks Queen Victoira’s head was engraved and based on a sketch done by Henry Corbould. who was influenced by the work of William Wyon.

Wyon orignially drew a caneo-like head of Queen Victoira for a medal that commemorated her visit to London in 1837, the year that she was crowed queen at the age of 15. Penny Black stamps were printed by Perkins, Bacon & Petch.. The top of the stamp featured word "POSTAGE" intended to distinguish it from ‘revenue’ stamps that had long been used in the United Kindgom. The words "ONE PENNY" appeared at the bottom of the stamp, indicating the amount that had been pre-paid for the delivery of the letter to which it had been fixed. The background of the stamp featured finely engraved engine turnings. Positioned in the two upper corners were star-like designs. Positioned in the lower corners were letters indicating the position of the stamp in a sheet of 240 stamps. For example, "A A" indicates the stamp located on the top left position, and "T L" indicates the stamp on the bottom right position.. Penny Blacks were printed by Perkins Bacon.

Design of the Penny Black Stamp Date of release The new Penny Black stamps first went on sale 1st May 1840 although they were only valid for postage from 6th May 1840 (some were used between the date of introduction and the official launch day on the 6th). All London post offices received ample supplies of the new Penny Black stamp, but provincial post offices throughout the United Kingdom did not. As result, post offices outside London continued to accept postage payments in cash only for some time. The Mulreadies (letter sheets) were issued at the same time as Penny Blacks. Public reaction to these new items not what Rowland Hill's expected. The Penny Black stamps were well-received and admired whereas the the Mulready letter sheet design was intensely disliked. Printing and perforations Eleven different plates were used during the short lived, one year long, production period of the Penny Black stamps. Unlike stamps of today, Penny Blacks were not perforated and the postmaster or mistress of the time had to use scissors to cut out the stamps.

Between 1848 and 1854 trials were carried out in order to find a better and more acceptable way of separating stamps than the scissors and in early 1854 the first ‘perforated’ penny red was issued. Demise of the Penny Black stamp Penny Black postage stamps were only in circulation for one year because the red cancellation mark was hard to see on the black background colour of the stamp and easily removed, making it possible to re-use stamps, even after they had been cancelled. In response, the Treasury decided to reprint the stamp as a red stamp. The cancellation mark was changed to black as they were easier to see and harder to remove. U.S. Postage Stamps U.S. Postage Stamps The Post Office Department issued its first postage stamps on July 1, 1847. Previously, letters were taken to a Post Office, where the postmaster would note the postage in the upper right corner. The postage rate was based on the number of sheets in the letter and the distance it would travel. Postage could be paid in advance by the writer, collected from the addressee on delivery, or paid partially in advance and partially upon delivery.

The First Postage Stamps In 1837, Great Britain’s Sir Rowland Hill proposed a uniform rate of postage for mail going anywhere in the British Isles and prepayment by using envelopes with preprinted postage or adhesive labels. On May 6, 1840, the stamp that became known as the Penny Black, covering the one-penny charge for half-ounce letters sent anywhere in the British Isles, became available in postal facilities. United States Postage Stamps Alexander M. Greig’s City Despatch Post, a private New York City carrier, issued the first adhesive stamps in the United States on February 1, 1842. The Post Office Department bought Greig’s business and continued use of adhesive stamps to prepay postage. After U.S. postage rates were standardized in 1845, New York City Postmaster Robert H. Morris, among others, provided special stamps or markings to indicate prepayment of postage. These now are known as Postmasters’ Provisionals. On March 3, 1847, Congress authorized United States postage stamps. The first general issue postage stamps went on sale in New York City, July 1, 1847.

One, priced at five cents, depicted Benjamin Franklin. The other, a ten-cent stamp, pictured George Washington. Clerks used scissors to cut the stamps from pregummed, nonperforated sheets. Only Franklin and Washington appeared on stamps until 1856, when a five-cent stamp honoring Thomas Jefferson was issued. A two-cent Andrew Jackson stamp was added in 1863. George Washington has appeared on more U.S. postage stamps than any other person. Postal Stationery The first printed stamped envelopes were issued July 1, 1853. They have always been produced by private contractors and sold at the cost of postage plus the cost of manufacture. With the exception of manila newspaper wrappers used from 1919 to 1934, watermarks have been mandatory for stamped-envelope paper since 1853. The watermarks usually changed with every four-year printing contract to help identify the envelope and paper manufacturers. Austria issued the first postal card in 1869. The United States followed in May 1873.

Postal cards, known today as stamped cards, are produced by the government and carry preprinted postage, unlike privately produced postcards, which do not bear postage. The 1873 Annual Report of the Postmaster General noted: As predicted, they have been favorably received. They have supplied a public want, and have made a new and remunerative business for the Department.33 Commemorative Stamps In 1893, the first U.S. commemorative stamps, honoring that year’s World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, were issued. The subject — Columbus’s voyages to the New World — and size of the stamps were innovative. Standard-sized stamps were too small for engraved reproductions of paintings that portrayed events connected to Columbus’s voyages. The stamps were 7/8 inches high by 1-11/32 inches wide, nearly double the size of previous stamps. Over the years, commemorative stamps have been produced in many sizes and shapes, with the first triangular postage stamp issued in 1997 and the first round stamp in 2000. The first stamp honoring an American woman was the eight-cent Martha Washington stamp of 1902.

The first to honor a Hispanic American was the one-dollar Admiral David Farragut stamp in 1903. Native Americans were portrayed in a general way on several earlier stamps, but the first to feature a specific individual was 1907’s five-cent stamp honoring Pocahontas. In 1940, a ten-cent stamp commemorating Booker T. Washington became the first to honor an African American. Other firsts include the 1993 29-cent stamp featuring Elvis Presley. The public was invited to vote for the “young” or the “older” Elvis for the stamp’s design. Youth triumphed, and this has become the best-selling U.S. commemorative stamp to date. Nondenominated Stamps The first nondenominated stamps (stamps without a printed value) in the United States were two Christmas stamps issued October 14, 1975. The Postal Service had requested a rate change from 10 to 13 cents and was unsure when the Postal Rate Commission would issue a recommended decision in the case. When the rate change was delayed, the stamps were sold for 10 cents.

A similar situation led the Postal Service to issue nondenominated stamps on May 22, 1978. They bore the letter “A” rather than a denomination. The stamps were prepared in case of a shortage of stamps in the uncertain new denomination. They were sold for 15 cents for domestic use only. Nondenominated stamps with letter designations through “H” were issued in conjunction with postage rate changes through 1998. Self-adhesives The Postal Service originally developed self-adhesive stamps to make precanceled stamps more secure. Precanceled stamps are canceled across the face before being sold. In the late 1960s, as many as 20 percent of them were soaked off and reused. Precanceled stamps skipped a processing step that often caught reused stamps. With the Christmas 1974 issue, the Postal Service experimented with a self- adhesive precanceled stamp. It was believed that the tightly bonded self-adhesive would not permit stamps to be soaked off. An additional security feature placed slits in the stamps to foil attempts to peel them off.

Unfortunately, the stamps cost three to five times more to produce than regular postage stamps, they could still be soaked off and reused, and stamps in the hands of collectors started to self-destruct. In 1989, the Postal Service again experimented with self-adhesive stamps, this time with emphasis on customer convenience. The new self-adhesives had a water-soluble adhesive and were produced on coated paper, so the effects of the adhesive would not be destructive. Introduced nationwide in 1992, self-adhesive stamps now are issued in formats that include booklets, coils, sheets, and souvenir sheets. Semipostals Semipostals are stamps on which the price exceeds the cost of postage; the difference is devoted to a particular cause. An act of Congress resulted in the Breast Cancer Research stamp, the first United States semipostal, on July 29, 1998, with proceeds above the cost of postage going to breast cancer research.

The Postal Service issued the Heroes of 2001 stamp on June 7, 2002, with proceeds going to the families of emergency workers killed or injured in connection with the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Stamps and Postcards - Who We Are - USPS Stamps and Postcards Commemorative Stamps, Listed by Theme: African American Subjects on United States Postage Stamps PDF | HTM American Indian Subjects on United States Postage Stamps PDF | HTM Hispanic Subjects on United States Postage Stamps PDF | HTM Women Subjects on United States Postage Stamps PDF | HTM Stamped Cards and Postcards PDF | RTF History of Postage Stamps The Post Office Department issued its first postage stamps on July 1, 1847. Previously, letters were taken to a Post Office, where the postmaster would note the postage in the upper right corner. The postage rate was based on the number of sheets in the letter and the distance it would travel. Postage could be paid in advance by the writer, collected from the addressee on delivery, or paid partially in advance and partially upon delivery.

The First Postage Stamps In 1837, Great Britain’s Sir Rowland Hill proposed a uniform rate of postage for mail going anywhere in the British Isles and prepayment by using envelopes with preprinted postage or adhesive labels. On May 6, 1840, the stamp that became known as the Penny Black, covering the one-penny charge for half-ounce letters sent anywhere in the British Isles, became available in postal facilities. United States Postage Stamps Alexander M. Greig’s City Despatch Post, a private New York City carrier, issued the first adhesive stamps in the United States on February 1, 1842. The Post Office Department bought Greig’s business and continued use of adhesive stamps to prepay postage. After U.S. postage rates were standardized in 1845, New York City Postmaster Robert H. Morris, among others, provided special stamps or markings to indicate prepayment of postage. These now are known as Postmasters’ Provisionals. On March 3, 1847, Congress authorized United States postage stamps. The first general issue postage stamps went on sale in New York City, July 1, 1847.

One, priced at five cents, depicted Benjamin Franklin. The other, a ten-cent stamp, pictured George Washington. Clerks used scissors to cut the stamps from pregummed, nonperforated sheets. Only Franklin and Washington appeared on stamps until 1856, when a five-cent stamp honoring Thomas Jefferson was issued. A two-cent Andrew Jackson stamp was added in 1863. George Washington has appeared on more U.S. postage stamps than any other person. Until government-issued stamps became obligatory January 1, 1856, other payment methods remained legal. Postal Stationery The first printed stamped envelopes were issued July 1, 1853. They have always been produced by private contractors and sold at the cost of postage plus the cost of manufacture. With the exception of manila newspaper wrappers used from 1919 to 1934, watermarks have been mandatory for stamped-envelope paper since 1853. The watermarks usually changed with every four-year printing contract to help identify the envelope and paper manufacturers. Austria issued the first postal card in 1869. The United States followed in May 1873.

Postal cards, known today as stamped cards, are produced by the government and carry preprinted postage, unlike privately produced postcards, which do not bear postage. The 1873 Annual Report of the Postmaster General (on pages XXVI-XXVII) noted: As predicted, they have been favorably received. They have supplied a public want, and have made a new and remunerative business for the Department. Postal cards were sold at face value until January 10, 1999, when a charge for the cost of manufacture was added. Commemorative Stamps In 1893, the first U.S. commemorative stamps, honoring that year’s World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, were issued. The subject — Columbus’s voyages to the New World — and size of the stamps were innovative. Standard-sized stamps were too small for engraved reproductions of paintings that portrayed events connected to Columbus’s voyages. The stamps were 7/8 inches high by 1-11/32 inches wide, nearly double the size of previous stamps.

Over the years, commemorative stamps have been produced in many sizes and shapes, with the first triangular postage stamp issued in 1997 and the first round stamp in 2000. The first stamp honoring an American woman was the eight-cent Martha Washington stamp of 1902. The first to honor a Hispanic American was the one-dollar Admiral David Farragut stamp in 1903. Native Americans were portrayed in a general way on several earlier stamps, but the first to feature a specific individual was 1907’s five-cent stamp honoring Pocahontas. In 1940, a ten-cent stamp commemorating Booker T. Washington became the first to honor an African American. Other firsts include the 1993 29-cent stamp featuring Elvis Presley. The public was invited to vote for the “younger” or the “older” Elvis for the stamp’s design. Youth triumphed, and this has become the best-selling U.S. commemorative stamp to date. Booklets Stamp booklets were first issued April 16, 1900. They contained 12, 24, or 48 two-cent stamps.

Parafinned paper was placed between sheets of stamps to keep them from sticking together. The books, which carried a one-cent premium until 1963, had light cardboard covers printed with information about postage rates. Stamp booklets remain a staple and are enjoying a resurgence in popularity because of their availability at a wide range of non-postal retail outlets. Coils and Vending The first coil (roll) stamps were issued on February 18, 1908, in response to business requests. Coils were also used in stamp vending equipment. The Department hoped to place vending machines in Post Office lobbies to provide round-the-clock service without extra workhours. Machines were also planned for hotels, train stations, newsstands, and stores. Twenty-five different vending machines were tested, with six chosen for tests in the Baltimore, Minneapolis, New York, Washington, D.C., and Indianapolis Post Offices. Both coil stamps and imperforate sheets were produced for vending machines, with the latter receiving a variety of distinctive perforations and separations. Nondenominated Stamps The first nondenominated stamps (stamps without a printed value) in the United States were two Christmas stamps issued October 14, 1975.

The Postal Service had requested a rate change from 10 to 13 cents and was unsure when the Postal Rate Commission would issue a recommended decision in the case. When the rate change was delayed, the stamps were sold for 10 cents. A similar situation led the Postal Service to issue nondenominated stamps on May 22, 1978. They bore the letter “A” rather than a denomination. The stamps were prepared in case of a shortage of stamps in the uncertain new denomination. They were sold for 15 cents for domestic use only. Nondenominated stamps with letter designations through “H” were issued in conjunction with postage rate changes through 1998. Self-adhesives The Postal Service originally developed self-adhesive stamps to make precanceled stamps more secure. Precanceled stamps are canceled across the face before being sold. In the late 1960s, as many as 20 percent of them were soaked off and reused. Precanceled stamps skipped a processing step that often caught reused stamps. With the Christmas 1974 issue, the Postal Service experimented with a self-adhesive precanceled stamp.

It was believed that the tightly bonded self-adhesive would not permit stamps to be soaked off. An additional security feature placed slits in the stamps to foil attempts to peel them off. Unfortunately, the stamps cost three to five times more to produce than regular postage stamps, they could still be soaked off and reused, and stamps in the hands of collectors started to self-destruct. In 1989, the Postal Service again experimented with self-adhesive stamps, this time with emphasis on customer convenience. The new self-adhesives had a water-soluble adhesive and were produced on coated paper, so the effects of the adhesive would not be destructive. Introduced nationwide in 1992, self-adhesive stamps quickly became popular with customers. By 2002, nearly all new U.S. commemorative stamp issues were self-adhesive. Forever Stamp On April 12, 2007, the Postal Service issued its first Forever stamp, a nondenominated, nonexpiring stamp intended for customers mailing a piece of First-Class Mail. Sold at the going rate of a First-Class stamp, a Forever stamp is always valid for the first ounce of First-Class postage.

Forever stamps were initially intended as a convenience for customers, to ease the transition during stamp price changes. From 2007 to October 2010, only one design was issued: the Liberty Bell Forever stamp. Due to their popularity, in 2010 two additional designs were issued – Holiday Evergreens Forever stamps beginning October 21, and Lady Liberty and U.S. Flag Forever stamp coils beginning December 1. In 2011, for the first time, all First-Class commemorative stamps were issued as Forever stamps. Semipostals Semipostals are stamps on which the price exceeds the cost of postage, with the difference devoted to a particular cause. An act of Congress resulted in the Breast Cancer Research stamp, the first United States semipostal, on July 29, 1998, with proceeds above the cost of postage going to breast cancer research. Congress passed legislation extending the sale of the Breast Cancer Research stamp several times and it has been sold nearly continuously since it was first issued, raising more than $75 million through 2012.

The Heroes of 2001 semipostal stamp, issued from June 7, 2002, through 2004, and the Stop Family Violence semipostal, issued from October 8, 2003, through 2006, rasied more than $10.5 million and $3 million respectively. The Postal Service issued its fourth semipostal stamp – Save Vanishing Species – on September 20, 2011. It raised more than $1.7 million through 2012. Related Services & Links Community Connection Help students explore America with stamp-themed lesson tips and education kits. Postal Store Order stamps, stationery, artwork, and more. Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee Learn how to suggest stamp subjects and about the selection process. Customized Postage Design your own postage stamps. Publication 153 – People and Places of the Pacific: A Celebration on Stamps PDF | HTM Publication 295 – Hispanic People and Events on U.S.

Postage Stamps PDF | HTM Publication 354 – African Americans on Stamps PDF | HTM Publication 512 – Women on Stamps PDF | HTM Publication 528 – Veterans and the Military on Stamps PDF | HTM Penny black stamps | Penny black value | Rare English stamps Penny Black stamps The history and value of first adhesive postal stamp: the penny black stamp The Penny Black is the moniker of the world’s first adhesive stamp used in public postal system. The idea of an adhesive stamp indicates that a letter has been paid. The first postage stamp was proposed to reform the British postal system by Rowland Hill in 1837. On May 1, 1840 the British postal service sold the first Penny Blacks, and continued to issue the stamps until 1841. The stamp cost 1 pence and was darkly colored, hence the name Penny Black. Nowadays, it is considered as one of the rarest British stamp. It was widely issued in United Kingdom. All London posts offices received the new official stamps but other offices in the country did not. One of the offices like Bath offered the stamp unofficially after May 2.

The inscription “postage” appeared at the top of the stamp and “one penny” at the bottom. The word one penny indicates the amount of transmission in which it was affixed on the envelope. The background of the stamp consists of finely engrave engine turnings. The two upper corners contained two star-like designs and the lower corners contained letters designating the position of the stamp it was printed. The sheets were printed by Perkins Bacon. The imperforate Penny Black stamp were printed in sheets of 240 with 12 stamps across and 20 stamps down and had to be individually cut by hand. As the name suggests, the stamp was printed in black ink. The Penny Black was used only for a year. It was found out that red cancellation was hard to see on a black background and the red ink is easy to remove. It was easier to see a black canceling on a Penny Red. Hence, it is not a very rare stamp. Penny Black successors The Penny Red was issued in 21st of January 1841. It was the successor of Penny Black stamp. There were 10,000 sheets of Penny red stamp printed and issued to the public a month later.

It was used as the definitive stamp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until 1879. There were only minor changes on the stamp. The color was change from black to red because of the difficulty in seeing the red cancellation mark on the Penny Black. Further more, a black cancellation mark is readily visible on a Penny Red. The world's second official adhesive stamp was the Two Penny Blue or 2d blue. It was also issued in May 1840 by the United Kingdom. It was more or less the same as the Penny Black. It was planned that 2d blue stamp will be released together with Penny Black. However, the earliest post mark seen on a Two Penny Blue was on May 8, 1840 which is two days after the Penny Black was released. The Two Penny Blue is much rarer and more expensive than the Penny Black. The Legacy of Penny Black This small rectangular stamp developed a new system of processing and delivering mails. It includes transferring parcels, special delivery, air mail, bulk mail and various other options. Sending letters with uniform price made communication possible by all means.

The combination of uniform prices, new transportation methods, and more efficient postal system indicates that postal services were low enough that almost everyone could afford to write a letter. Penny Black printing plates Penny Black stamps were printed from 11 plates. Unfortunately, plate 1 needed a thorough investigation for repair due to excessive wear. It was generally considered as two separate plates, 1a and 1b. Plate 11 was solely intended for the new red stamps but a small number were printed in black. These stamps printed with black Plate 11 are very rare. The stamps were printed in unperforated sheets. And it is cut in scissors for sale. Jacob Perkins invented the D cylinder press. It was the original printing press for the first postage stamp. It was patented in 1819 and was on display at the British Library in London. Rare Penny Black postage stamp corner letters Each penny black stamp has an inscription at the four corners of stamp. These inscriptions determine the position of the sheet the stamp had occupied. When the printing plates produced were blank, the two lower squares are also blank. The letter inscription will be punched by hand.

The left square letter shows which horizontal row the stamp was in the first row being A, the second B, and so on down to the twentieth row with T. The right square letter indicates the vertical column, again with A for the first column, B, C, and so on across to L for the last twelfth column. It should be noted therefore that each letter combination is just as common or as scarce as any other. Penny black postage stamp values There were 68,158,080 penny black postage stamps issued. There are only 2% survival rate likely about 1.3 million stamps still existing. The survival rate could also be higher, because in 1840's the use of envelops was unusual. Most letters were folded and sealed with wax. This means that whenever the letters are kept - the whole thing including the adhesive stamp is kept. But by the times that people started to collect stamps, people having these rare stamps sold it. Penny black stamp values depend on different factors like condition, the plate the stamp was printed from, and the overall appearance of the stamp. The condition of the stamps also matter.

The physical condition such as thin, tear, crease, or stain will lower the value of the stamp. The number, size, and regularity of the margins make a big difference to value. The value of old postage stamps varies in condition and rarity of the stamp. Rare postage stamps that are in poor condition cost low while rare postage stamp that is in good condition cost high. Old postage stamps not perforated were separated by scissors or knife. The stamp is easier to separate by straying and cutting into the printed design of the stamp because the distance of each stamp is just 1mm. Collectors will pay higher prices if the stamps have four good, wide, and even margins. Penny Black stamp rarities There were 286,700 sheets printed with 68,808,000 stamps. Some of these stamps had survived. During this era large envelopes were not normally used. Letters in the form of letter sheets were folded and sealed. The stamp and the address are placed on the obverse. The stamp survives if the letter is kept. The Penny Black is available in the stamp collectors' market. Postage stamp prices vary in many factors like condition, plate of stamp, and the number of stamps produced.

The rarest Penny Black stamps were those printed from plate 2. There were only 16,800 stamps which come from 700 sheets only. Over 10 million copies were printed from plate 1a / 1b, yet even a medium poor copy of a plate 1 stamp is expensive. Strips of Penny Blacks are scarce and blocks are very rare. Penny black that are printed in plate 11 is one of the rare postage stamps. The color of the postage stamp was switched from black to red but the red ink is not yet ready so they used black ink as a substitute. Therefore, provisional stamps of Penny black were printed with 700 sheets in a two day period. Plate 11 was intended only for Penny red. Used Penny black stamp in plate 11 cost $685 as of 2009. Penny Black stamp forgeries Forged Penny black stamp first appeared in 1840. The counterfeits are made from wood engravings. An electrotyped forgery was discovered in March 1841. It led to the first prosecution and conviction of stamp forgery.

Rowland Hill’s postal stamp system was adopted by some countries starting with Brazil in 1843. Stamp collecting exists together with the existence of postage stamps. It even kicked off the world's most popular hobby, philately. Related articles:

Question: What was the first adhesive postage stamp, that appeared in 1840 called
Answer: Penny Black